Recently, the Village demolished two houses that have been a blight on the community for years. Any expenditures involved in removing the structures have been added to the tax bills for those properties. Changes in State laws now allow municipalities to hold banks and other lending institutions responsible for the condition of abandoned homes. They are put on notice and given a reasonable amount of time to bring properties and structures into compliance with sanitary, aesthetic, and safety codes. The Village, through legal counsel, is vigilant in making sure that all parties have been notified. In the past, property owners played the shell game of passing these properties around trying to avoid code violations. That tactic is no longer tolerated. The tide has changed, and we now have the tools to deal with this issue.
Respectable homeowners who care for their homes and have an investment in their properties should not have to deal with run-down structures and properties devaluing and creating a blight on their neighborhoods.
Considering the value of homes on Long Island, it is hard to imagine why any person or establishment would allow these houses to fall into such disrepair. While it is understandable that some individuals don’t have the resources to maintain their homes to the high standards of others, it costs little to be neat and clean and maintain at least a minimum standard of curb appeal and safety.
Blighted properties can proliferate. Neighbors of these homes can quickly become disenchanted with the neighborhood and lose enthusiasm for maintaining their own properties. We will not tolerate this in Lake Grove. Even homes that are occupied and keeping up with their payments must be in compliance with all Village, Town and State codes.
Let’s all work together to keep Lake Grove a beautiful and safe place to live.
Very Truly Yours,
Robert J. Scottaline
Mayor